Having just returned to my dial-up internet following thunderstorm which took out our phone service from Friday 'til now, (just in time for my-husband-the-physician's weekend of call from home) *sigh, grumble, sigh*, I want to wish a_loquitaand beanpota belated "Very Happy Birthday and Many, Many Returns of the Day!!!" I hope that those in a better position than I to provide you with companionship, feasting and song were unstinting in providing them.

We are very pleased to have phone service back now, slightly less than a day before the phone company's initial estimate for restoration of service, because if any calls come in before 8 a.m. - and they likely will - my husband will no longer have to drive the five miles into town to answer them. We're in a cell phone dead-zone here. It's part of the price we pay for living where other folks vacation.